Stand Chapter 1: Stand, an avatar: last airbender fanfic

Water

Earth

Fire

Air

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished. One hundred years passed and the new Avatar was discovered: an airbender named Aang.

With the help of his friends Aang did finally defeat the conquering Fire Lord Ozai and return a measure of peace and balance to the world. However, like many leaders Ozai had many loyal followers. Though the war had ended there were still remnants of the Fire Lord's army.

Five Years Later

"C'mon, Aang! If we don't get there soon Katara's gonna throw a fit!"

"Well, we'd already be there if you would've just let Appa fly us!"

The Avatar and his blind earthbending master had been traveling through the forested area of the Fire Nation's main island for the last few hours with the hopes of reaching the Fire Lord's castle before nightfall. Of course Toph had insisted that they walk. "You're gonna get lazy letting Appa fly you everywhere!" she had said. How Aang wished he had not listened. The big fluffy sky bison's saddle was looking pretty good right about now. He could always use his glider, but he did not enjoy the memory of the last time he had tried to carry Toph on it.

"Pick up the pace, twinkle-toes!" Toph shouted back as Aang felt the ground beneath him pull him forward. He smiled inwardly. Toph would never change. She slapped the back of his bald head. "Do you really want to feel the wrath of Sugar Queen and that hot head?"

The newly crowned Fire Lord Zuko had sent Avatar Aang a personally written invitation to some kind of event going on at the Fire Lord's castle that was scheduled to begin at sundown. Though Toph pretended not to know what it was about Aang was sure she did. Even he knew what it was about. Fire Lord Zuko was going to ask Lady Katara to marry him. Aang could not help a sad smile. Though he had always held a special place in his heart for his waterbending master, he knew that her heart belonged to his rival.

"Don't worry," Aang said. "Even if we're late, Zuko will hold things for us. He wouldn't do this if I weren't there."

Just as Aang spoke a large blast of fire rang in his ears just in front of him. A group of people wearing the Fire Nation's coat of arms stepped forward and unleashed streams of fire from their hands as Toph brought up a wall of rock to shield them from the flames.

"Get going," Aang said.

"As if! Those are those stupid renegades! I'm gonna . . ."

"Get to the castle and let them know why I'm late," Aang finished for her. "Besides, if we both stay, then it won't be any fun!"

Toph punched him in the arm. She had wanted him to explain why she was late so that she could have the fun. Knowing he would not be budged on the matter Toph let out a sigh.

"Ever since I taught you, you've been a little to stubborn."

"I learned from the best," Aang smiled.

Toph planted her feet in the ground and felt herself sink through the earth. She was not going to give those stupid renegades the satisfaction of seeing the greatest earthbender in the world's back. She silently hoped that Aang would make this quick so she wouldn't have to arrive on her own. She liked having the airhead around. Even if he were so much taller than her now.

Aang observed the earth's vibrations until he felt Toph pass the renegades. Then he quickly launched his assault. Propelling Toph's rock wall forward he managed to scatter his opponents taking his time picking each one off. The first of which he threw through the air with a powerful gust of wind, landing him quite uncomfortably in a tree. The second and third charged rashly in Aang's direction only to be met with another rock wall quickly jutting out in front of them. The fourth renegade was smart enough to keep some distance and launch a volley of fireballs in Aang's direction, but with a few movements of his arms Aang was able to bend the fire harmlessly aside and ricochet the final blast into its owner.

"Well that was a little too easy," Aang smiled.

"You took everything!" a voice came. Aang turned to see the last renegade standing next to a very large crate. How did he miss that? "Fire Lord Ozai was going to unite the world!"

"The world is already united," Aang said calmly. "The people do not need one man to lead them in order to be connected to one another."

The renegade shook angrily with a face twisted in rage and hatred. This stupid child ruined everything. There was no way he could complete Fire Lord Ozai's plans, but he would do the next best thing and kill the Avatar for him. Placing his palm on the crate the renegade released a burst of flame. Just as he did the crate splintered and revealed what was inside. Blasting jelly. Lots of blasting jelly.

Before Aang had time to react the jelly ignited and the explosion engulfed him. The fire licked at his body, but bent around it. If nothing else Aang could protect himself from most of the flames. The ringing in his ears was deafening and he could no longer feel anything in his body. Just the feeling of being carried by the blast of the flames. Suddenly and without warning he felt himself collide with something. His body suddenly remembered how to register pain as he felt the shrapnel of the crate smack into his arms, legs, and torso. A piece also managed to strike him in the head.

As the blast began to subside Aang's eyesight, thought blurry, began to take in a few details. There was nothing but smoke and ash. He could no longer see the vegetation of the forest, only the devastation of the uncontrolled blasting jelly. Another scar on the face of the world. Clutching the boulder that Aang found himself pressed against he tried to stand. His arms and legs refused to let him. Everything was fading in and out of focus. There were cuts and bruises all over his body. Finally he found his remaining strength, and leaning against his glider which had miraculously survived he pulled himself in the direction of the castle.

"Ozai got the last laugh, it looks like," Aang said with a weak smile. A small voice began to echo in Aang's mind.

Fall . . .

"It would be okay, wouldn't it?" Aang said. "Zuko, Katara, you guys would forgive me right?" A feeling of emptiness began to fill Aang. He was so tired and it hurt so much. The world was safe now, right? The Fire Nation was entering a new era with Zuko at the helm. Aang did his job, couldn't he rest now? As his feet continued to carry him as though they had a will of their own, Aang looked to the sky.

"Roku, I'm done now right?" he asked the soul of his past life. "I'm so tired. Roku, you and Yue wouldn't hold it against me if I joined you, would you?"

Fall . . .

The voice continued to echo as Aang's eyes closed. More than anything he wanted to do just that. As he felt the last of his strength begin to leave him his foot smacked into something. Looking down with his nearly blinded eyes Aang could make out only a small patch of green.

"Stubborn little patch of grass," Aang smiled as he knelt down on his knees. Toph's face filled his vision as the word "stubborn" came to mind. She would have done the same. As the world burned around her she would simply sit there and laugh in the fire's face. Aang took comfort in that as he placed his hand down on the small patch of grass. It was surprisingly warm. But not like the warmth of a fire. And soft? And moving?

Aang's eyes shot open as he realized that Toph's face was not only in his mind's eye, buy his earthly eyes as well. She was breathing, but not moving. Did she not move fast enough to escape the blast? Her long black hair was all over the place as he slowly lifted her into his arms. For the very first time in the five years that Aang had known her, Toph looked helpless. She was paler than usual though she showed no outward signs of bleeding. She was hurt. She was hurt bad.

Looking down into the face of his teacher and closest friend Aang felt something inside of him. A type of warmth that he had thought left him along with the blast and the rest of his strength. The voice continued to echo in his mind.

Fall . . .

Clutching the small earthbender to his chest he heard another voice. It was stronger, deeper, more powerful than anything else he had ever experienced. It pierced all of his senses and filled him with something beyond the measure of human understanding. It came from somewhere deep inside him. And unlike the first voice begging for him to fall, this one he could not debate with.

STAND